Travis Kelce Speaks Honestly About Rashee Rice Before Chiefs-Chargers
With seven consecutive trips to the AFC Championship Game and three Super Bowl rings to show for it, the Kansas City Chiefs have established a modern dynasty in the NFL.
Since the departure of Tyreek Hill before the 2022 season, they have continued to dominate despite the absence of a clear No. 1 wide receiver — a testament to the unwavering brilliance of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and head coach Andy Reid on the sidelines.
By the end of his rookie season in 2023, Rashee Rice looked poised to become Mahomes’ top wideout. His seven receiving touchdowns led the team, and he tacked on 26 catches for 262 yards and a score during the Chiefs’ postseason march to a Super Bowl LVIII victory.
Rice’s trajectory was halted in 2024 when he suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 4. Last week, the 25-year-old accepted a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, stemming from a legal case dating back to the 2024 offseason.
By the time he is eligible to return on Oct. 7 against the Las Vegas Raiders, Rice will have missed 21 straight Chiefs games, including the playoffs — but that has not clouded Kelce’s perception of the young receiver as Kansas City heads into a Week 1 showdown with the Los Angeles Chargers in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
“He’s going to attack these weeks and make sure that he’s ready for when he’s allowed back in the building,” Kelce said of Rice. “I think it’s going to create that much more love and that much more fight out of him. I think he’s got a lot to prove still in this league.”
The Chiefs veteran told his brother, Jason Kelce, on their “New Heights” podcast that the team “had to prepare” for Rice’s possible suspension in the offseason, including a game plan for Week 1 without him.
“I can’t wait to get that guy back in the building, but we’re going to have to hold it down without him down in Brazil, man,” Travis Kelce said.
They adapted without Rice last season and finished the year 15-2 with a trip to the Super Bowl, despite a down year from Kelce. Rookie Xavier Worthy finished as the top wide receiver with 638 yards and six touchdowns.
Kansas City has plenty of targets for Mahomes, including Kelce, Worthy, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Hollywood Brown.
The Chiefs also have to play the Philadelphia Eagles (Week 2), Baltimore Ravens (Week 4) and Detroit Lions (Week 6) during the course of Rice’s suspension. If they can survive that first stretch, Kelce seems convinced Rice could pick up right where he left off.
Red Sox rumors: Insider says Boston, Alex Bregman remain perfect fit
After years of underachievement, the Boston Red Sox are finally back in the playoff hunt. Currently possessing the second AL Wild Card spot, if the season ended today, the Red Sox would play their hated rivals from the Bronx, the New York Yankees. Although Boston has lost their last two games, a three-game winning streak preceded it. Third baseman Alex Bregman’s first season with the Sox has been a strong one thus far. The former Houston Astro could opt out of his current contract this winter. MLB Network spoke with insider Jon Heyman on Bregman’s best potential fit in free agency, and shared Heyman’s take on X, formerly Twitter.
“What could Alex Bregman’s potential free agency look like?” posted the league network on Saturday. “‘I think he fits Boston perfectly… it does feel like Boston is the best fit.’- @JonHeyman.”
It’s easy to see why Heyman said the Red Sox would be Bregman’s best fit. The 31-year-old is nearing the tail end of his physical prime. However, his skillset is one that should age well, particularly at Fenway Park. After the trade of former franchise star Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in June, Bregman has once again become a clubhouse leader, like he was in Houston. Can Scott Boras, the third baseman’s agent, work out a deal with the Boston front office to avoid an opt out this winter? Or will Bregman once again explore free agency?
Can Red Sox hammer out new deal with Alex Bregman, Scott Boras?
Boras is notorious for letting his clients explore free agency rather than sign an extension. The majority of the time, that is the tactic that baseball’s super-agent likes to take. Even though Bregman will turn 32 in March, there are still plenty of teams that would pursue him on the open market. The Yankees would certainly be one, as the trade acquisition of Ryan McMahon before the deadline hasn’t worked out as well as New York would have liked.
Whether it’s the Red Sox, Yankees or another team, the likelihood of Bregman not going to a contender is slim. Based on his age, it feels like a resigning, especially if both sides can strike an agreement before the opt out. For now though, the focus is on Bregman helping lead Boston back to the postseason. Will the Red Sox finish the deal and clinch October baseball in the coming weeks? If so, don’t be surprised to see the third baseman remain at Fenway Park past this season.
